Therapeutic apparatus



Nov. 22, 1.9.49.

Filed Feb. 21, 1947- 3 Sh e'ets-Sheet 1 I 0 m 7 a Z M w 7 2.. u w w 3. 5. g l wh w fl b IMHH a A ,m z a a w 22, 1949' c. F. JOHNSON THERAPEUTIC APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 21, 1947 1949 c. F. JOHNSON THERAPEUTIC APPARATUS Filed Feb. 21, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Nov. 22, 1949 THERAPEUTIC APPARATUS Charles F. Johnson, Albuquerque, N. Mex, assignor to Rittenhouse & Revere, Inc., Albuquerque,

N. Mex.

Application February 21, 1947, Serial No. 730,035

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a therapeutic device, and more particularly to a vapor generator for generating nascent hydrogen and chlorine gases and combining the same to form a nascent germicidal gas for the treatment of various diseases of bacterial origin for which this method of germicidal vapor treatment is used.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved vapor generator of the kind to be more particularly described hereinafter, for generating hydrogen and chlorine gas and combining the two in their nascent state in such a manner with warm air and water vapor to produce a resulting germicidal gas vapor of the same identical chemical composition as the hydrogenclilorine combination which performs both prophylactic and digestive functions in the gastric tract.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved vapor generator of this kind in which the composition of the resultant vapor is at all times under the direct control of the operator who may selectively increase or decrease the air or hydrogen and chlorine generation for varying the composition of the resulting germicidal vapor to suit the needs of any one particular patient at any time.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved vapor generator of this kind which is highly efficient as compared to other generators for similar purposes, the efficiency being attained by the simplicity of the construction of the device and enhanced by the simplicity and safety of its operation whereby any office attendant of average intelligence may be quickly taught to operate the generator and to supervise treatments.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the arrangement, combination and details of construction disclosed in the drawings and specification, and then more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a vapor generator for therapeutic purposes constructed according to an embodiment of this invention.

Figure 2 is a rear elevation with the rear wall removed, partly in section.

Figure 3 is a side elevation.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line an of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal section of the inhaling cone of this device.

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view showing the wiring diagram and the passage of the air in this device.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral l0 designates generally a vapor generator for generating nascent hydrogen and chlorine to be chemically combined for treatment of many ailments that are amenable to this type of treatment.

Contrary to a generally held but erroneous opinion, the germicidal vapor generated and inhaled by the patient is not chlorine. While chlorine gas is one of the most powerful, if not the most powerful, of all known germicides, its corrosive efiect on the ciliated and goblet cells of the mucous membrane lining the nasal pas- Sages, the accessory nasal sinuses and bronchioles and upon lung tissue, is far too severe to permit its use as a prophylactic in germicidal respiratory therapy. Attempts to use chlorine gas for this purpose have been made by many medical experimentors in the past, but all have been thwarted in obtaining satisfactory results by the extremely corrosive efiect of chlorine gas on moist tissue.

The germicidal effect of the gas generated by this vapor generator is due to a true chemical and molecular combination of nascent hydrogen and chlorine gases and this combination occurs instantly and spontaneously when the separate gases meet as they emerge from the electrolyte. The resulting germicidal gas vapor is of the same identical chemical and molecular composition as the hydrogen-chlorine chemical combination that performs both prophylactic and digestive functions in the gastric tract.

A closed housing ll is provided in which the apparatus required for the generation of hydrogen and chlorine gas may be contained. The housing H is of a slender cabinet type construction which is readily portable and may be provided with a handle 52 on the upper end thereof for movement about in ofiices or clinics. Within the housing ii there is provided an electrolyte cell l4 having a single chamber or compartment closed oiT from direct communication with the atmosphere; which is fixed against movement or displacement therein but removably held or screwed in an interiorly threaded cap Ma supported in the housing ll, the cell body I4 being formed of glass or plastic or other suitable material, which will not be deteriorated by the solution of the gases generated therein.

A saturated water solution of sodium chloride or other suitable haloids or acids which when decomposed by electrolysis forms hydrogen and chlorine is to be contained within this cell and will be acted upon by electricity introduced into the cell through a pair of electrodes or poles I and I6 which are electro positive and negative respectively. The poles or electrodes I5 and It are fixed within the housing I I and extend downwardly through and insulated and depending from a horizontal Wall or shelf IT in the housing I I, into the cell I4 through the receptacle cap I 4a held beneath wall or shelf I] by enlargements Mb on the electrodes I5 and I6 beneath the cap Ida and binding post nuts I5a and Ilia. at the top clamping the electrodes and cap in position and adapted for connection of the circuit wires thereto. The cell I4 is a single chamber whereby the gases liberated at the poles I5 and It may rise into the space S above the solution Where they may be united.

The upper end of the electrodes I 5 and I5 extend above the shelf I1 and are connected by suitable wires to the positive and negative poles respectively of a source of electric supply. Direct current electricity or electrical energy is required for electrolysis of the haloid solution in water, or acid electrolyte, and as most offices and clinics, as well as homes, are provided with 110 volt alternating current, suitable means is provided within the housing II for converting this alternating current to direct current.

A transformer I8 is fixed in the housing on one side thereof. Conductors extend from one side of the transformer I8 to the source of electrical supply, and conductors extend from the other side or secondary winding to the electrodes I5 and I6 to sup-ply current of opposite polarity thereto. A rectifier is interposed between the transformer and the electrolytic cell M. for converting the alternating current to direct current. In this case, the rectifier is that of a copper oxyde or selium or dry plate rectifier. The electrolysis of the sodium chloride solution within the cell I4 resulting in the liberation of hydrogen at the negative electrode and chlorine at the positive electrode, varies in proportion to the current flowing in and between the electrodes. As shown, the electrode I5 of positive polarity is connected to the positive side of the direct current supply source or rectifier to produce chlorine gas and the electrode I6 of negative polarity is connected to the negative side of the supply circuit or rectifier to produce hydrogen, which gases are mixed and combined in the cell I l with the moisture or Water vapor from the solution or electrolyte and air delivered thereto by the blower to be discharged in a nascent state for inhalation. The amount of chlorine and hydrogen generated in any unit of time during the treatment of a patient with this apparatus may be critical and it is desired to accurately control the amount of gas being generated.

In order to control the gas, a rheostat i9 is connected in the circuit of the electrodes l5 and I6, between the D. C. current supply source such as a rectifier 20 and the electrodes. An ammeter as 2| may be connected in series with the rheostat I9, for indicating at all times the current in the circuit of the electrodes. The ammeter may be fixed to read either in amperage or in the corresponding units of gas generated over a certain period of time.

The face of the ammeter H is located in a removable panel 22 on the front wall of the housing II. circuit of the electrodes. The nascent hydrogen and chlorine generated in the cell It are combined together and with Warm air and water vapor within the housing I I before being pumped A switch 24 is also placed in the from the housing, to be inhaled by the patient. A blower 25 is fixed within the housing and is adapted to be driven by a motor 26. The motor 26 is to be run from volt alternating or direct current in which latter event rectifier Z0 is unnecessary, being used only with A. C. current, and is connected to the current supply source at the primary side or winding of the transformer l8. A rheostat 21 is provided in the circuit of the motor 26 to provide control of the blower 25 and the resultant air being moved by the blower to vary the proposition of air combined with and dilution of the nascent gases. A tube 28 is connected between the blower 25 and opens into the top of the electrolytic cell I4 on one side thereof.

Air in the housing II is thereby pumped through and by the blower into the cell I4 for combining the warm air within the housing II with the combined nascent gases hydrogen and chlorine in the cell. A second tube 29 is connected to the top of the cell I4 for removing the air and gases combined in the cell from the cell and from the housing I4 to the patient. Tubes 28 and 29 are connected to coupling tubes 28a and 29a of material similar to the cell I4 inserted up through and held in aligned openings in the cap Ma and shelf I! to extend above the latter and having annular external enlargements or flanged beads 28b and 29b respectively at their lower ends forming stops against the underside of the cap, while the tubes 28 and 25 are fitted over the projecting upper ends of coupling tubes 26a and 29a so that the cell or jar I4 can be removed for renewing or replacing the solution or electrolyte and replaced without disconnecting the tubes 28 and 29, or the electrodes and circuit connections thereto. through a small opening 30 in the side wall of the housing II and a cone 3|, having a divergent mouth 32, is provided on the outer end of the tubing 29 for carrying the gas to the patient.

The housing I I, as previously indicated, is substantially closed and is formed on one or both sides with a pair of elongated slots or thin openings 34 to permit air to enter the housing II. Air entering the housing II is then in contact more or less directly with the transformer I8, the rectifier 20 and the motor 26, all of which are being heated electrically, whereby the air within the housing I I is heated to a temperature whereby it may be more readily combined with the combined hydrogen and chlorine gases within the cell I4.

A switch 35 is provided in the electric circuit to the motor 26 for separately controlling this circuit and a master switch 36 is provided in the line from the primary side of the transformer I8 to the source of electric supply. The switch 36, when opened, breaks the circuit to both the motor 26 and the transformer I8 whereby the circuit of the electrodes I5 and I6 is also broken.

The handles for the switches 24, 35, and 3% are fixed on the removable panel 22 on the front of the housing II where they may be readily reached by the physician or attendant. The control knobs 31 and 38 for the rheostats I9 and 27 are also provided on the panel 22 whereby the amount of air and the amount of gas may be separately controlled at all times. Fuses 39 and 40 are provided in each of the circuits, the electrode and the motor circuit respectively, for preventing an overload in either one or both of the circuits. These fuses 39 and 40 are also The tube 29 extends carried by the panel 22 to provide for ever ready access by the attendant,

Current in the electrode circuit is indicated by a pilot light 4| fixed in the panel 22 and the current on the motor circuit is indicated by a pilot light 42 also on the panel 22.

In a construction and assembly of this kind, all of the controls for both of the circuits and the indicators for the electrical circuits and for the gas in the cell M are provided within a small space where they may be readily handled and noted by an attendant.

In the use and operation of this therapeutic device, the master switch 36 is first turned to the on position and then the motor circuit switch 35 is turned to the on position, whereupon warmed air is drawn by the blower from within the housing I l and forced through the tube 28 and into the top part or chamber of the cell 14 which is closed ofi from the atmosphere and from which it passes or is forced under pressure of the blower in the form of nascent haloid vapor or a combination of the nascent hydrogen and chlorine gases within the air and moisture or water vapor from the solution on electrolysis thereof through the outlet and tube 29 to the cone 3| held by the patient. The generation of the nascent gases is then started by moving the switch 24 to the on position. As the switches 35 and 24 are turned on, pilot lights 42 and 4| indicate current in the respective circuits. The amount of current passing through the electrode circuit is indicated by the ammeter 2|. For starting the generation of the gases, the rheostat l9 will be moved to the maximum position to provide for the greatest amount of current in this circuit. As the gases are generated in the cell l4, and the air from the blower 25 combines with the gases, the relative amount of air and hydrogen and chlorine being obtained by moving either the rheostat l9 or the rheostat 21 backward or forward as necessary to produce the relation of these gases as desired.

I do not mean to confine myself to the exact details of construction herein disclosed, but claim all variations falling within the purview of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A therapeutic device for generating and mixing nascent hydrogen and chlorine gases comprising a cell having a chamber closed off from atmosphere and adapted to contain a saturated solution of sodium chloride, a pair of electrodes mounted in said cell to extend into the solution, means for supplying direct current to the electrodes with the positive and negative poles thereof each connected to an electrode, means communicating with said chamber for supplying a current of air thereto for mixing with the nascent hydrogen and chlorine gases generated at the separate electrodes in said cell upon supplying the direct current thereto, and an outlet tube leading from said chamber for discharge of the mixed nascent hydrogen and chlorine gases and air therefrom for inhalation.

2. A therapeutic apparatus comprising a cell having a single chamber closed off from the atmosphere and adapted to contain a saturated solution of sodium chloride, a pair of electrodes mounted in said cell to dip into the solution therein, a direct current supply circuit connected to said electrodes for supplying current of opposite polarity thereto for generating nascent hydrogen and chlorine gases respectively at the separate electrodes in the solution by electrolysis thereof, said cell having an inlet and an outlet, a motor driven blower having a tube connected to the inlet for supplying a current of air directly to said cell chamber to combine with the gases generated therein together with the water vapor from the solution for discharge through the outlet under the pressure of the blower, and a tube leading from the outlet for conducting the combined nascent gases and air from the chamber for inhalation.

CHARLES F. JOHNSON.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Morrison Sept. 16, 1941 Number 

